The disclosure relates to a process cartridge that is capable of being used with an image forming apparatus.
Process cartridges are used in image forming apparatuses (i.e., laser printers). Conventionally, the process cartridge includes a charger, a developing cartridge, and a transfer roller disposed around a photosensitive drum. Upon rotation of the photosensitive drum, a surface of the photosensitive drum is uniformly charged by the charger, and is then selectively exposed to light by a laser beam. This process partially removes electrical charges from the surface of the photosensitive drum in order to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum is developed into a toner image by supplying toner from the developing cartridge when the electrostatic latent image faces the developing cartridge. The toner image carried on the surface of the photosensitive drum faces the transfer roller, and when a sheet passes between the photosensitive drum and the transfer roller, the toner image is transferred to the sheet.
Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-295720 discloses a process cartridge having a drum frame which is divided into an upper frame and a lower frame. In this process cartridge, the upper frame supports the charger and the lower frame supports the photosensitive drum, the developing cartridge, and the transfer roller. When the upper frame and the lower frame are assembled, the charger faces the photosensitive drum at a specified distance at an upper portion of the photosensitive drum.